Air cleaner



Julyfzo,1926. a

v H.H.GARNER CENTRIFUGAL AIR CLEANER' original Filed Jan. s. v1?21` ames July zo, 192e."

v'Reflazfrssi l,

UNITED STATES PATrfl'Snfffol=l=l'c:r..-

, HnmrAN H. GAnNnn, or roMoNA, CALIFCBNIA, AssIGNon. To von'rox isrANurAC-vV TUBING COMPANY, or PoiroNA, CALIFORNIA, A ConronA'rIoN.

ca NraIFUeAL Ara CLEANER.

Original No. 1,404,952, dated January 31, 1922, Serial No. 435,906, lled January 8, 1921. A pplicatign for reissue led January 5,

My invention relates to air cleaners which are used 1n connection wlth internal combustion engines for the purposev of vremoving` dust or dirt from the air before it is kadmitted to the cylinders of the engine.

The principal object of the invention is tol provide an air cleaner by which such dirt can be readily removed. Y

Further 'objects and advantages will be l0 made evident hereinafter.

Referring to .the drawing which is illustrative purposes only, e

Fig. 1 is an end view of one embodiment of my invention, a portion thereof bemg broken away nal structure.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofy same, a portion thereof being broken away to better illustrate the internal structure;

90; Fig. 3 is a view showing the invention applied to an internal combustion engine.

In the embodiment-shown, a cylindrical casing 10 is formed of a shell 11, a bottom 12 and a top 13, the words top and botu tom being used for identifying purposes.

only as the cleaner may be operated with the vaxis of the shell 11 either verticalor horizontal. The casing ma also be conical,` spherical or of any orm concentric v about an axis. Secured lnthe top 13 is an outlet pipe 14 which communicates with the air intake of the Carburetor 15 ofl an internal combustion engine 16. Opening in# to the shell near one end thereof is an air inlet-pipe 17 which is so formed that the air enters the casing 11 tangentially -and is forcedv to circulate in the direction f of the arrow A around the inside of the casing 10. A ,portion of the wall of the 4Q shell 11 is bent inwardly to form a skimmer 20, this skimmer projecting 4into the interior of the casing 10 near the bottom 12 and leaving an opening 21 in the wall of the'casing which communicates throu hv a, throat 22 46 with a dust receptacle 30 "w ich may be in the.form of a bottle `or 'ar with a screw top which fits into the t roat 22 so. that it can be readily removed. f

to betterl illustrate the inter-l 192e. serial No.' 39,492.

tion is as follows: l. n p

The interior of the shell 11 is placed^V The method vof operation of the inven-y underY a partial vacuum whenever the ven- 'l y gine y16 -is started due to the suction of the engine which is exerted through the car? .l l

buretor' 15 and the pipe L4. Immediately uplon'the establishmentof this vacuum, the atmospheric pressure of the air outside the casing 11. causes it to rush through the inlet 17 and to set up a whirl orvortex inside the casing l0. The lvortex formed inside the-casing 10 throws'the dirt particles outwardly in the casing so that they whirl about close to the walls thereof in the outer klayers ef the vortex. In addition to the vortex action, there is a continuous travel of these particles in the direction of the )Y arrow B or towards the bottom 12 awa from the top 13. I have studied this move` ment in the direction of the arrows B in containers having transparent .walls and find that it is quite mdependent of gravity, the particles of dirt bein projected upwardly if. the sl'ell '11 is so p aced that the bottom 12 is on top. Thismovement is apparently due to an expansion of the air in the outer layers ofthe vortex. The skimmer 20 projects up suiiciently to constantly cut off a portion of the outer layer of the vortex so that the particles of dust or dirt, as they come around, strike against the skimmer and are thrownl down into the dust receptacle 30. -The skimmer need not, however, ro-

ject into the vortex *as the dust `particles are uxder considerable centrifu al stress which is exerted against the Wa s of the shell .'11, where an openin likethe opening 21 is made in this wa The dust particles are projected violently through this opening due to this stress. The dust receptacle l30 forms an airtight joint so there is probably no circulation of air through the dust receptacle, the skimmer acting as r a dirt deiector. I have found even if the -rdust receptacleSO is removed that the apparatus stillr functions and dirt is still separated, but I iind that it operates better if the dust receptacle 30 forms a tight joint with the walls of the casing. Where the receptacle 30 is left `off,`air is constantly drawn into the casing 10 through the opening 21. The dust particles to escape through the opening 21 must have sufficient momentum to pass out against this inward current of air. By studying the action of such dust particles in a transparent container I have found, if the vortex isl'properly produced, that 'the dust particles seem to pass freely through the opening 21 even when air isl rushing through the opening under atmospheric pressure. The opening 21 can ob- 1,5 viously be placed in the bottom 12 close to the wall of the casing 11. If prevented from escaping through the opening 21 the dust articles will continue indefinitely to travelparound in the corner formed by the junction of the casing .-11 and the bottom 12. For example, if there be astream of air lowing inwar lythrough the opening 21, `it may prevent the -exit of single dust particles, but there will bean accumulation secured .in such :L manner that it can be' y readily removed or attached in air-tight re.

Q0 lationship to the walls of' said casing; and

an axial air outlet.

2. A n air cleaner comprising: a cylindri! cal casing; a tangentia air inlet directly adjacent to one end ofV saidcasing' a tangential dust outlet in an entirel different zone from said tangential air in et; a dust chamber into which said tangential dust out let discharges -said dust chamber being secured in suc a manner that it can be readily removed or attached in air-tight relationship yto the walls of said easing; and an axial air' outlet.

3. An air cleaner comprising: a cylindrical casing; a tan entia air inlet directly ad'aeent to one en of said casing a tangentia dust outlet inran entirely different zone dfrom said tan entialair inlet directly adjacent to the ot er end of said casing; a dust chamber into which said tangential dust outlet discharges, said' dust chamber being se cured in such a manner that it can be readily removed or attached in air-tight relation- 'l Vship to the walls of said casing; vand an axial 4. An air cleaner comprising: a. cylindrical casing; atangential air inlet directly adjacent to oneend of said casing; a tangential dust outlet in an entirel different zone from said tangential -air in et directly adjacent4 moved or attached` in air-tight relationship f to the walls 'of said casing; and an axial air outlet opening into the end adjacent to the tangential air-inlet.

5. An air cleaner comprising:

cal casing; a tangential air in et; a tangential diist outlet in an entirely different zone from said tangential air inlet; and an axial air outlet. c 6. An air cleaner comprising: cylindrical casing; a tan ential air inlet directly adjacent to one end of said casing; a tangential dust outlet in an entirely diierent zone from said tangential air inlet; and an axial air outlet.

7. An air cleaner comprising: a cylindricalcasing; a tangential air inlet directly adjacent to one end of said casing; a tangential al cylindridust outlet in 'an entirely diferent zone from l said tangential air inlet directly adjacent to the other end of outlet. v

8. An air cleaner comprising: a cylindrical casing; a tan ential air inlet directly adjacent to one' end of said casing; a tangential dust outlet in an entirely diierent zone from said tangential air inlet directly adjacent to the other end of Icasing; and an axial air outlet opening into the end adjacent to the tangential air inlet. 9. An air cleaner comprising: et

a cylindrical casing; a tangential air in a tangential dust outlet in an entirely different zone from said tan ential air inlet; a Vdust cha-mber into whic said tangential dust outlet discharges, said dustchamber being secured in air-tight relationship to the walls of said casing; and an axial air outlet.

10. An air cleaner comprising: a cylindri- A cal casing; a tangential air inlet directly adj acenf to one end of said casing; a tangential dust outlet in an entirel diilerent zone from said tangential air in et; a dust chamber into which said tangential dust outlet discharges; said dust chamber being secured in air-tight relationship to the walls of said casing; and' an axial air outlet.

11. An air cleaner comprising: a cylindrical casing; a tangential air inlet directly adjacent to one end of saidcasi-ng; a tangential dust outlet in an entirllly d'erent zone from said ta tial air et directly adjacent casing; and an axial air l to the ot er end of casing; a dust chamber into which said tangential dust outlet discharges, said dust chamber being secured in airtightre1ationship to walls of seid 12. An air cleaner comprising; a 'cylindrical casing; a. tangential air `1nlet directly adjacent to one end -of said casing; a tangential dust outlet in an entirely dierent zone from said tangential air inlet directly adjacent to the other end of casing; a dust chamber. into which said tangential dust outlet discharges, said dust chamber being secured in air-tightrelationship to the walls of said casing; and an axial air outlet openl.

ing into the end adjacent to the tangential air inlet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, this 23d day of December, l1l5 HERMAN H. GARNER. 

